Those who do not learn from the mistakes they have made in the past are doomed to repeat them, and this is particularly true in situations that involve the military. Keep reading to learn more about why we do not listen to our own history to avoid making the same mistakes, time after time.

Tradition is the biggest reason that countries fail to recognize their mistakes; when something has been done in the same way for Read the rest of this entry »

What Did the Lessons of Viet Nam Teach?
Viet Nam is remembered as one of the deadliest wars for American military with many lessons to be learned. From a strategic standpoint, the Viet Nam war occurred during a volatile period of civil unrest in the US. A new generation questioned old values and regurgitated principles that weren’t compatible with their plans for the future. At the time of the escalation of Viet Nam, the military draft was still in place. Military strategists seemed Read the rest of this entry »

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the United States supported France in its efforts to keep Viet Nam as a French colony with significant financial aid. That effort failed and the country of Viet Nam was divided into North and South Viet Nam. North Viet Nam was under Communist rule and South Viet Nam was not.

In the mid 1950s, North Viet Nam sought to invade South Viet Nam and unite the country under North Vietnamese rule. The United States Read the rest of this entry »

Reasons why the Korean War is referred to as The Forgotten War are about as easy to count as the stars in the sky. One of the major issues is the difference between a war and a conflict. United States involvement in a war requires congressional approval as opposed to entrance into a conflict at the discretion of presidential authority as Commander-In-Chief.

The Korean situation became an issue during the administration of Harry S. Truman who, having no personal military experience, relied on the counsel of military advisers. The ultimate result Read the rest of this entry »

In the spring of 1898, the United States entered a short and decisive war against the Spanish in Cuba and the Philippines. One cause of the war was the resentment that many Americans had against Spain for the strategies they used to stop a Cuban revolution.

Another reason for the war was the opinion of the people that the American Manifest Destiny policy did not end at the Pacific ocean. Many Americans believed that in order for the United Read the rest of this entry »

There are many aspects of the Mexican American War that we can see today. For example, the Mexican American War determined the border lines, being the Rio Grande river, between Mexico and the United States that still hold true today. Mexico also gave up the states of California, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico to the United States. If not for this war it is possible that the United States may have not been granted these lands.
Those who led the Mexican American War went on Read the rest of this entry »

Fought from 1775-1783, the Revolutionary War established the sovereignty of the Unites States. The original thirteen colonies, along the East Coast of what is now the United States, became independent of Great Britain.

One factor that compelled the Revolution was the issue of taxation without representation. At the time, American colonists were being taxed by Great Britain on essential items although they had no representation in Parliament. Once the Revolution was successfully fought, the United Read the rest of this entry »

Although it was fought over 150 years ago, the Civil War is still relevant today. The war split the United States into two side that fought over the basic human rights of African Americans and other issues. Brothers were pitted against brothers, families were torn apart and friends became enemies because of the war.

The Civil War represented a historic shift in American values toward liberty for all. The Union’s victory freed African Americans from a lifetime of bondage and slavery, but it did not end the racism that plagued the Read the rest of this entry »